The Internet comprises a vast number of computers and computer networks that are interconnected through communication links, with information being exchanged using various services such as electronic mail, FTP, and the World Wide Web (also referred to as the “Web”). The Web allows a server computer system (e.g., a Web server providing a Web site) to send graphical Web pages of information to a remote client computer system, which the remote client computer system may then display, such as via a Web browser executing on the client computer system.
In addition to merely providing access to information, the Web has increasingly become a medium that is used to search for, shop for and order items (such as products, services and/or information) that are for purchase, rent, lease, license, trade, evaluation, sampling, subscription to, etc. In many circumstances, a user can visit the Web site of a Web merchant (or a “Web store”) or otherwise interact with an online merchant or retailer or electronic marketplace that provides one or more items, such as to view information about the items, give an instruction to place an order for one or more items, and provide information needed to complete the purchase (e.g., payment and shipping information). After receiving an order for one or more items, a Web merchant then fulfills the order by providing the ordered items to the indicated recipient. The items may be products that are delivered electronically to a recipient (e.g., music downloaded over the Internet), or through physical distribution channels (e.g., paperback books shipped via a governmental postal service or private common carrier). The items may also be services that are provided either electronically (e.g., providing email service) or physically (e.g., performing cleaning services at the house of the purchaser). The order fulfillment process typically used by Web merchants for product items that are to be physically provided shares similarities with other item ordering services that ship ordered items (e.g., catalog-based shopping, such as from mail-order companies), such as to deliver ordered items from one or more physical distribution or fulfillment centers operated by or on behalf of the Web merchant.
The Web and other communication networks enable various types of electronic commerce to occur, including via various types of electronic marketplaces. Such electronic marketplaces are each typically made up of numerous users acting as buyers and sellers of various items (or users acting as other types of potential providers and acquirers of items for types of transactions other than purchases, such as renters and rentees for rental transactions, etc.). For example, a seller may offer one or more items to buyers via one or more types of purchase transactions, such as via a fixed-price offer to the first buyer that agrees to pay the price, via an auction to the buyer that offers the highest price and/or that otherwise satisfies specified criteria, etc. In such environments, buyers and sellers may communicate with each other regarding transactions for various purposes, such as to seek information in furtherance of a potential transaction, to place an order for a particular item as part of an actual transaction, to arrange for delivery of a previously ordered item, etc. Such communications often take place between parties who have no previous familiarity with each other, and may occur in various ways, such as via email or other electronic communication mechanisms provided via an electronic marketplace, or using communication mechanisms that occur external to an electronic marketplace.
Although such electronic commerce may provide many benefits, various problems may still arise. For example, unscrupulous buyers may attempt to engage in various types of fraudulent activities, such as by submitting orders without providing valid payment (e.g., using fraudulent money orders, stolen credit cards, etc.), attempting to obtain personal information about sellers, etc. Furthermore, such buyers may perform various types of communications with sellers as part of or to further such fraudulent activities, and also may attempt to use communications performed via an electronic marketplace to direct further communications to occur outside the electronic marketplace (e.g., to avoid protections provided by or fees charged by the electronic marketplace). Communications that reflect or further fraudulent activities may further be sent from sellers to buyers, such as by sellers attempting to defraud buyers, or by other users that obtain unauthorized access to sellers' accounts on an electronic marketplace and then impersonate the sellers. If an unscrupulous user obtains access to a seller's account, the user may gain access to contact information (e.g., email addresses) and other information for buyers with whom the seller has previously interacted, which the user may then use for various types of fraudulent activities (e.g., to “phish” for other confidential information about the buyers). Thus, various types of fraudulent activities may occur between users in electronic marketplaces, at least some of which are furthered by electronic communications between the users.
Thus, it would be beneficial to provide techniques to inhibit fraudulent activities related to electronic commerce, including by inhibiting electronic communications that reflect or further such fraudulent activities, as well as to provide other benefits.